


Imbroglio

by locoforloki



Category: Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Arranged!Marraige, Childhood, Family Drama, Friendship, Frigga Feels, Loki Feels, Love, Multi, Romance, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-21
Packaged: 2018-01-05 11:34:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,190
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1093426
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/locoforloki/pseuds/locoforloki
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“There is a babe.” She called over to Vili. “There is a Jotun babe in the water.”</p><p>It was Frigga who found Loki. </p><p>It was Frigga who took him in and decided to raise him as her own. It was Frigga raised him in a home filled with comfort, warmth and love and protected him from all of those who wished him ill.</p><p>“You should listen to your mother, princeling. There are only so many times that she can save you.” </p><p>But not even Frigga can protect Loki, or Thor, from the path that Odin has placed them on in a bid to maintain peace within the Nine, a path that threatens to tear their family apart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imbroglio

**Author's Note:**

> Just something that I have been working on.
> 
> Please let me know what you all think!

Frigga watched as little Thor kicked and screamed in the night nurses arms, his beautiful face red and shiny from all his exertions. His screaming had not subsided in some time and Frigga could feel a headache settling itself right in the centre of her forehead. The young nurse rocked him and shushed him gently, glancing up at Frigga nervously every now and then, feeling desperately inadequate.

“It is alright. He needs to grow used to being held by another.” Frigga said calmly as Thor waved his tiny fists at her, almost as if he would curse her if he had the words.

The nurse smiled anxiously and began to rock Thor with a little more vigour. Thor’s crying seemed to weaken as she began to rock him in earnest. The stronger the movements became, the more docile he grew and soon enough he was sleeping with his fingers gripping the starched lace of the nurse’s blouse.

“He is beautiful, your Highness.” She breathed as the candlelight that flickered about them seemed to only enhance his smooth, cherubic features even further.

“He is exhausting.” Frigga said with a gentle laugh. “But aye, he is a most beautiful babe.”

“Shall I lay him down for the night?” She whispered, stepping away from the roaring fire and making her across the room towards a silken bassinette. 

Frigga nodded, readjusting her skirts absentmindedly.

“Please. I wish to take a stroll around the grounds but I shall not be long.” She promised as she rose from her seat.

The nurse nodded and went to place Thor in his bassinette. Frigga glanced at him once more before making her way out of the room. Once she closed the door of Thor’s nursery behind her, she allowed herself a small sigh of relief. She felt a warm feeling of relaxation wash over her as she began to glide through the peaceful palace. Frigga longed to lay eyes on her husband but she knew that Odin was otherwise engaged. It was night and so the palace was quiet and Frigga found that she wished for the hustle and bustle of day time, for the company and conversation of another adult. She found none and so decided to take a stroll through her gardens. She walked down the steps and felt a small twang of guilt as she laid eyes on her neglected gardens. She pitied her flowers for now that Thor was born, she would have little time to spare for their tending. In the pale light of moonlight her flowers seemed deflated and sad, not at all like their usually vibrant and colourful selves. 

“Lady Frigga, your husband would not like to think of you roaming the grounds alone.” 

Frigga turned around and smiled as she laid eyes on Odin’s brother, Vili. He smiled at her, all charm and teeth and made his way closer to her, his dark cloak billowing behind him as he strode with purpose.

“Let me escort you, fair lady.” He teased with a slight bow.

Frigga offered him her arm and smiled at him gratefully.

“I fear you have no idea as to why I am so relieved to see you. I must confess; spending so much time with Thor has drained me.” She sighed as they began to make their way through the glorious orchards of Idunn.

Vili nodded knowingly.

“Of course, the little one can be most demanding. I spent but an hour with him yesterday whilst you rested and I fear the child stole all my energy for the remainder of the day.” He chuckled.

Frigga laughed aloud and looked at Vili with sparkling eyes.

“He is most like his father, is he not?”

Vili laughed with her as they crossed the orchards and began to walk along the riverbank. The dark waters reflected the light of the moon beautifully and Frigga soon stopped ambling in favour of looking out across the wide river and the many lights of Asgard that shone past it.

“I prefer the daytime but there is something most relaxing about night, is there not?” she breathed.

Vili was about to answer when the high pitched wailing of a baby cut him silent. Frigga frowned in confusion and turned around, as if expecting to see Thor somewhere behind her. Vili unhooked his arm and listened intently for the sound once more, stepping out of Frigga’s line of vision. Frigga stepped forward, ignoring the warm water spilling into her shoes as she waded out into the water, following the crying of the babe.

“Frigga! Are you mad? Those waters are deep, come back!” Vili called as he came splashing in behind her.

Frigga raised a hand to shush him as she spotted a tiny basket tangled in reeds growing out of the middle of the river. Vili fell silent and watched as she swam across the waters with baited breath. She swam with elegance and grace, despite the fact that her skirts must have been weighing her down terribly. Frigga reached the reeds and gasped quietly when she saw the tiny, blue babe swaddled in the finest of furs, too fine for a paupers abandoned young. She placed one wet hand against his cheek and watched as the indigo colouring of skin faded away from her touch and the purest of white replaced it.

“There is a babe.” She called over to Vili. “There is a Jotun babe in the water.”

 

.

 

“What in the realms possessed you to dive into the waters after a Frost Giant’s runt?” Odin practically exploded as soon as he entered their shared chambers.

Frigga sat by the fire, wrapped in layer after layer of blankets as she held the little babe who was now swaddled in their warmest wool. She glanced at Angerboda, Odin’s most trusted healer, who was staring at the bundle in her arms with eyes that would tell a story if they only asked.

“I did not know that he was Jotnar until I reached the basket and even if I had, I would not have left an innocent child drown in our waters.” She sighed as haunting emerald eyes blinked up at her slowly.  
Odin shot Angerboda a disgruntled look and approached his wife carefully, regarding the babe with his one good eye.

“Yes, well, I suppose I am glad that you did not allow it to die. But come, hand Angerboda the child, he does not belong in the palace.” Odin coaxed as he sat down opposite his wife.

Frigga’s grip around the child tightened as she looked up at him sharply.

“And where is it you think he belongs? In a poor-house? Or perhaps a shallow grave?” she snapped angrily.

Odin fought the urge to roll his eyes at his spouse’s sentimentality and placed one warm hand on her knee.

“He belongs elsewhere.” He stated firmly. “You have Thor and Gods know that he is more than enough of a handful for now.”

Frigga shot Odin a dark look and held the babe against her chest.

“He belongs here where we shall keep him warm and safe and loved. There is a reason that he was sent to Asgard, Odin, do not be deliberately obtuse.” She snarled.

Angerboda stepped forward and looked at Frigga concernedly. 

“With all due respect-”

“No! I refuse to listen to either of you; my mind is made up. I am keeping him and we shall raise him as our own.” Frigga declared, locking eyes with Odin furiously. “If you cross me on this, so help me Gods, I will slit my throat before your throne.”

Odin looked at her for a moment and saw the determination in his wife’s eyes. He knew that the little Jotun runt was of royalty; his furs told them as much. He also knew that Laufey must have had a very real reason for sending his son to Asgard. More than anything else, he knew that his wife would never forgive him if he took the babe away from her. He has seen how Frigga can react when she feels strongly about something and this was one of those things that Odin knew better than to fight. 

He sighed wearily and shrugged at her in defeat.

“So be it; what is it we have decided to call our youngest son?”

Frigga beamed at him adoringly and tilted the babe slightly so that Odin may lay eyes on his new child.

“Loki.” She breathed.

 

.

 

“Loki! Loki!” Frigga shrieked, tearing after her son as he scaled the walls of the training arena with flawless balance.

Loki grinned down at her, his long dark hair whipping across his face as he continued to climb the wall.

“I am going to join Father, Mother!” he shouted down excitedly.

“Loki!” Frigga called. “Get down from there before you fall!”

Loki laughed and continued to climb. He was going to surprise Odin and sneak into the arena. His father never allowed him in there when the Einherjar were training. He constantly told him that that they were too young to witness such things. Loki chuckled to himself as he imagined his father’s face when he felt his footing slip beneath him. His hands scrabbled at the walls futilely before he felt himself fall backwards.

“Mother!” He screamed as he began to hurtle towards the ground.

Loki squeezed his eyes shut, waiting for the sickening crunch that never came. Instead, he felt someone catch him and opened his eyes to see Angerboda, one of his father’s healers, smirking down at him.

“You should listen to your mother, princeling. There are only so many times that she can save you.” He chided as he gently placed Loki on the ground.

Angerboda looked away from Loki to see Frigga hurtling towards them, a relieved look on her face as she approached them. She grabbed Loki from his arms, holding him tightly as she thanked him profusely. 

“I cannot thank you enough; I only turned my back for a moment to help Thor and-”

Frigga clamped a hand over her mouth as she recalled her eldest son.

“Thor!” She called desperately, one hand smoothing down Loki’s windswept hair. “Thor!”

“He is there, Mother.” Loki pointed out, wincing slightly at his mother’s shouting.

Frigga looked over her shoulder towards one of the stalls before the entrance of the arena where Thor was sitting; eating what appeared to be a candied apple.

“Thor! Come here at once!” Frigga demanded, a frazzled look on her face.

Angerboda chuckled and leaned across to ruffle Loki’s hair fondly.

“Two can be a handful.” He commented as she placed Loki back on the ground.

Frigga sighed and offered him a tired smile.

“I thought that it was difficult when they were both babes but now that they are boys, they only wish to explore.” She laughed.

“Give me some apple!” Loki demanded as Thor approached them, appearing beside their mother.

Thor stuck out his tongue at his younger brother and shook his braided head.

“I shall not! I battled for this apple.” He declared proudly.

Loki frowned deeply and pouted unhappily, glaring at his older brother. Frigga looked at Thor meaningfully who in turn, sighed and took one last bite from his apple before handing it to Loki. Loki smiled the most beautiful of smiles and took a delighted bite from the apple, the juice slowly dribbling down his chin as he chewed thoughtfully.

“It is sweet.” He said through a mouthful of the fruit.

“Do you like it?” Thor asked curiously.

Loki nodded.

“Aye, I do.”

“Then I shall fetch you another!” Thor decided, puffing out his chest, imitating the warriors that he constantly watched.

Frigga placed a hand on his shoulder and raised her eyebrows.

“Perhaps another time, I think you both have had enough excitement for one day.” She stated firmly.

Frigga held out her hands expectantly and both boys quickly held on, causing Angerboda to smile fondly.

“They are wonderful creatures, your boys.” He says with a bow.

“Thank you once again.” Frigga says graciously. “I do not know what would have happened had you not been here.”

Angerboda waved a dismissive hand at her, a small smile on his lips.

“Do not even think it.” He said gently. “They are both safe; that is all that matters.”

 

.

 

“Thor! Put down that sword, it’s not a toy!” Frigga hissed as Thor swung a sword above his head, imitating the roar of a crowd as he does so.

Odin chuckled and watched with fascination as Thor almost appeared to dance around one of Asgard’s mightiest warriors, Tyr, and take a swing at him. Tyr easily side-stepped his advance but still made an impressed sound as Thor quickly went to strike again.

“He is good, your son.” Tyr commented as Thor grinned up at him breathlessly.

They were at a ceremony celebrating yet another feat of the powerful warriors of Asgard. Only the greatest warriors sat at the table with the Royal family and yet Frigga wished that they would not. She did not want Thor lifting swords at such a young age and neither did she want Loki to watch him with eyes that glowed with envy.

“How come I may never lift a sword?” Loki pouted.

“Because you have your magic.” Frigga answered with a smile.

Loki frowned as he concentrated and tried to make even just a tiny spark of magic appear at the tips of his fingers. Frigga sighed as Loki shook with the effort of forcing the magic from his fingers and placed a hand on his narrow shoulders.

“It will come in time.” She assured him.

“Can I not train with a sword until that time comes?” he pleaded.

Thor laughed boisterously and shot Loki a disbelieving look.

“You would not be able to lift it, brother. Only true warriors may fight with the swords of Asgard. It must be in your blood.” Thor declared.

“But how is it in your blood and not in mine?” Loki demanded. “We are brothers; it does not make sense.”

Odin shot a quick glance at Frigga before turning to address Loki.

“You are a man of magic; that is your gift. Thor is a man of the sword; that is who he is. You are brothers, yes, but you are different men, are you not?”

Loki sighed sadly before nodding. 

“Aye, I suppose, Father.”

Tyr grinned pleasantly and leaned forward with a conspiratorial wink.

“You may be a man of magic, young Loki, but I have heard of sorcerers that could knock warriors twice my size with a mere flick of their wrist; you have the true power, my boy.”

And Frigga knew that Tyr meant it as a kindness but such words she did not want rooting themselves in her sons’ minds. She disliked the way Loki’s eyes seemed to brighten at the thought whilst Thor frowned in confusion, searching his father’s face as if Odin held all the answers to his many questions.

“I think that is quite enough talk of warriors and magic.” She said firmly. “Now Thor, tell us of your history lesson.”

 

.

 

Loki slipped into Thor’s bed later that night, much to the older boys protests. Thor shoved over in the bed begrudgingly as Loki nestled against him, his long, dark hair tickling Thor’s nose as he burrowed himself into Thor’s broader chest.

“Do you ever feel different?” Loki asked quietly.

Thor shrugged.

“Not particularly. Should I?”

Loki closed his eyes and hummed uncertainly.

“Perhaps. We are not like the other children. None of the others possess magic or the ability to lift the swords of Asgard.” 

“I know of no other Asgardian with magic.” Thor argued. “Except Angerboda but he is not of Asgard.”

Loki’s eyes shot open and he turned on his stomach in order to face his brother better.

“He is not?” he breathed excitedly. “Where is he from?”

“Jotunheim.” Thor answered in a bored voice. “Father captured him during the Great War and brought him here, to us.”

“He is a Frost Giant?” Loki whispered fearfully.

“Yes, but Father has stripped him of his powers. He must obey Father or he shall be slayed before the whole of the realm.”

“Do you think he would hurt us?” Loki pondered.

“Never.” Thor decided. “He has a good life here, why would he risk it?”

 

.

 

“Are you boys ever going to stop risking your lives?” Frigga snapped as she wrapped blankets around both Thor and Loki in an effort to dry them.

Thor chuckled deeply, his voice beginning to break as he entered adolescence, offering his mother a charming smile.

“Loki said he could give us gills!” he exclaimed excitedly. “And it worked, Mother, Father! We had gills and-”

Odin stopped drying Loki and glared at his youngest with his one good eye.

“What have I told you of fooling around with magic? It is dangerous and idiotic!” he snarled.

Loki blinked at him in surprise.

“But Father, I altered Thor’s form and my tutor told me that I would not be able to do that for years and-”

“Every time I think you are about to become men, you prove me wrong and remain foolish boys.” Odin sighed, drying Loki’s hair roughly.

Thor frowned unhappily and Frigga exhaled softly.

“What your father is trying to say is that you frightened us.” Frigga explained. “We have told you time and time again not to play by the river and yet you both constantly disobey us.”

“If you want to train with the warriors, Thor, then I must insist that you grow up.” Odin declared as he made his way to his feet, abandoning his drying of his younger son. “As for you, Loki, cut your hair; you look more and more like your mother with each day that passes.”

Frigga shot Odin a furious look as Loki clutched at his long, braided hair desperately, his green eyes filling with tears at his father’s cruel words.

“Your hair is beautiful.” Frigga assured him.

“No man of Asgard wears his hair past his waist. He looks like one of those barbarians.” Odin sniffed as he exited the bathing room.

Frigga made her way to her feet and followed her husband out of the room, an angry expression pinching her face. Loki leaned against the marble of their bath and glanced at Thor unhappily.

“We should not have gone to the river.” He sighed.

“I like your hair.” Thor said with a shrug. “I think it is good that you look different for you are so; you are no brainless warrior, why should you look like one?”

 

.

 

“They are brothers!” Frigga snapped as she undressed for bed. “You must stop comparing them and treat them as equals.”

“But they’re not brothers, are they, Frigga?” Odin hissed. “Loki is not of Asgard, he is not-”

“He is a part of this family as much as you or I or Thor!” She whispered fiercely. “He is your son too.”

“Not by blood.” Odin said simply. “He is not my son by blood, Frigga and do not think that I shall ever forget that.”


End file.
